Particular ailments or diseases require treatment by the application of cold or heat to a body part, which has a particular beneficial medical outcome, according to the treatment protocol applied (e.g. intensity and duration of treatment). In the past, this was accomplished, for example, by applying ice or cold liquid to the affected area for cryotherapy, and applying a heat source, such as a heated towel, for heat therapy.
It has been discovered that using a thermal pad considerably increases the efficiency and convenience of such treatment.
However, in some cases, merely providing a hot or cold fluid through the pad to heat or cool the body via the fluid flow through the pad is not sufficient: for example, if the body part is swollen (for example, due to an inflammation), the pressure provided by the pad onto the body part may be too strong or too weak if the pad is in use.
Hence, it would be advantageous to allow the specific treatment of the pad to be modified depending on the type of treatment and characteristics of the patient or his illness.